Codependency is a baffling and crippling cycle where an individual is dependent upon another for their own approval, self-esteem, love, and other needs.It is dysfunctional in that it involves an over-abundance of physical, psychological, and emotional reliance. Often the codependent relationship relates to a person or partner who’s is very needy or is in a harmful state (like an alcoholic or addict).
Being codependent often stems from living in a toxic environment. It can lead to a number of additional concerns like difficulty within a relationship, addictions, struggles with anger management, or eating disorders. Healing those with a broken heart and ending the raging codependency cycle is the goal of our Christian counseling.We are confident it can be accomplished through Christ.
Codependency Symptoms
Offering a full and complete list of symptoms that codependency can bring to the table can certainly be complicated and involved. There are two different spectrums that it can be experienced on – extreme isolation or extreme clinginess. Individuals may be overly independent or overly dependent. Some may even bounce from one extreme to the other.
Some of the symptoms you might find yourself experiencing if you battle with codependency are:
- Constant desire for pleasing others whatever the cost
- Fear of telling others “no”
- Poor or no boundaries
- Low self-esteem
- Exaggerated sensitivity to the feelings and thoughts of others
- Habitually taking things personally
- Strong desire to fix or care for others
- Continual attempts to control others
- Communication skills that are lacking
- Obsessing about issues within a relationship
- Fear of abandonment or rejection
- Denial about having an issue
- Blaming others
- Difficulty ending relationships that are not healthy
- Emotionally guarding yourself often because you fear rejection
- Depression
- Anxiety
Codependency is very common. The majority of those who have issues with codependency have needs that are unmet concerning such things as self-worth, intimacy, and love which often times stem back to experiences in their childhood. The issues that remain unresolved can easily lead to the person growing up to be an adult who is reliant on substances, people, or other such things as their performance at work to make them feel good about themselves since they have a void otherwise.
Do you think you may be codependent? If so, there is no reason to worry. Codependency is completely treatable. Through codependency Christian counseling, you can break out of the bondage and establish healthy attachments and relationships. Your counselor will help coach you toward habits and practices in relationships that promote life, happiness,and wholeness.
Treating Relationships That Are Codependent
The fact that codependent personalities often attract people who are unstable or codependent is one of the many challenges about this condition. Many who are codependent become exhausted by trying to balance a lifestyle which involves caring for and pleasing others to the extent that their personal needs are not being met. It is also common for them to guard their own selves against emotional pain which spins-off another negative cycle within the relationship.
The subject of codependency can be very complex. It affects different people differently. Although the signs of it can certainly vary from one particular situation to the next, there are many symptoms they may share.
Codependent relationship signs may include:
- Revolving your life around the needs and wants of your partner.
- Feeling like you are not good enough.
- Being one who strives to please people.
- Continuously being in a relationship with someone who abuses substances or is abusive to you or others.
- Hiding personal emotions to avoid upsetting other people.
- Feeling that you are trapped within your relationship but feeling too scared or guilty to get out of it.
- Allowing your mood to be dictated by your partner’s behaviors or moods.
- Feeling disrespected or unappreciated.
- Setting poor boundaries.
- Frequent feelings of depression or anxiousness.
The counselors at Huntington Beach Christian Counseling are ready and able to walk you through the entire process of reclaiming your life and discovering freedom from the bondage you were once bound by.
Christian Counseling Helps You Break the Chains
A number of clients reach out to us, confused about how to put an end to a codependent relationship. Sometimes, both partners share a commitment to seek recovery for the codependent relationship. Either way, Christian counseling for codependency offers the answers and solutions you need.
Methods of codependency counseling include:
- Psychotherapy assists you in uncovering and processing past events in your life that led to your codependency.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a method that helps you become more aware of your own behaviors, feelings,and thoughts in order to gain a better handle on yourself and to take more responsibility concerning your actions, happiness,and life in general.
- Family counseling helps families who struggle with codependency issues learn to end behavior patterns that are negative and how to work on healing wounds and building healthy relationships.
- Marriage counseling focuses on help for couples who are codependent who have the desire to put an end to the destructive, toxic patterns and behaviors within their relationship.
Your individual counselor will evaluate the unique situation you are in so a treatment plan can be developed which will suit your needs. No matter what the approach is, the goal will be to:
- Improve and foster self-care Working on and through issues of low self-esteem
- Set healthy boundaries
- Challenge control of behaviors
- Work on and through low self-esteem issues
- Develop a deeper understanding of patterns within the family
Get connected with a Christian Counselor
Please contact our reception team at
949-386-7178
